1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for holding knife blades at the proper angle for sharpening and more particularly pertains to blade sharpening angle guide which may be used for aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of blade sharpening angle guide is known in the prior art. More specifically, blade sharpening angle guide heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
The present invention is directed to improving devices for aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge in a manner which is safe, secure, economical and aesthetically pleasing.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,038 to Maruyama discloses a sharpening aid support device consisting of a solid block of rigid material having a flat lower surface and an upper surface with an elongated arcuate channel having two spaced apart lips extending horizontally along the upper edges of the channel and extending slightly inwardly toward each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,991,357 to Stickles, Sr. describes a knife sharpening kit which comprises a portable case that forms an elongated trough with outwardly flaring upper edge support surfaces for supporting a cutting stone and controlling the angle at which the knife blade contacts the cutting stone.
Both of the above referenced inventions adequately treat the straight portion of the knife blade cutting edge but neither discloses a way to accurately control the sharpening angle of the curved portion of the knife blade.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,866,845 to McEvily describes a knife holding and sharpening block for holding, storing and, if desired, sharpening knives. The device disclosed is not portable and, further, does not teach a method for applying honing oil during the sharpening operation.
The prior art also discloses a blade sharpener as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,138,801 to Anthon et al. which consists of a main body and a clamping bar for securing a blade to be sharpened, guide arms, a support rod, and a sharpening hone holder. The device disclosed consists of numerous parts making it difficult to use and expensive to manufacture.
In this respect, the blade sharpening angle guide according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for new and improved blade sharpening angle guide which can be used for aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
As illustrated by the background art, efforts are continuously being made in an attempt to develop devices for aligning and holding a knife blade or the like at a proper angle for manual sharpening of the cutting edge. No prior effort, however, provides the benefits attendant with the present invention. Additionally, the prior patents and commercial techniques do not suggest the present inventive combination of component elements arranged and configured as disclosed and claimed herein.
The present invention achieves its intended purposes, objects, and advantages through a new, useful and unobvious combination of method steps and component elements, with the use of a minimum number of functioning parts, at a reasonable cost to manufacture, and by employing only readily available materials.